Montour School District

Sep 22, 2020

Note: CCPA compliance requires embedded widgets like Facebook, Twitter and inline videos be disabled in stories. Shane Starr and Andrew Pristas were just starting to rekindle their friendship that dates back to their middle school days in the Montour School District. They had been talking about hanging out for awhile after Starr returned to the Pittsburgh area from out of state and they finally did a few months ago. “It was like we never left each other,” Starr said Tuesday. So he was stunned to learn that Pristas, 33, died Sunday after state police said he was shot by his ex-girlfriend Meghan J. West, 24, of East Huntingdon. Starr said he had asked Pristas to stay away from West after the pair broke up. Police said West shot Pristas as he tried to break into her bedroom during a domestic dispute at 11:30 p.m. in her mobile home near Ruffs Dale. She told investigators that she fired a warning shot through the bedroom door after Pristas had spent five to 10 minutes trying to break in, according to court papers. A second round from the revolver hit him through the door. Pristas was pronounced dead at the scene. His family members declined to comment Tuesday. Starr described Pristas as a strong-willed, kind-hearted person who was polite and respectful. His demeanor didn’t match a tough exterior. “He was a sweetheart,” Starr said. “If you got to know him, he was one of the nicest people you could ever meet.” Pristas liked being outdoors and going to the gym, recently losing some weight working out. He liked to listen to heavy metal music, such as Slayer and Metallica. “He had an awesome sense of humor,” Starr said. West and Pristas pleaded guilty to harassing each other on Aug. 19, 2018, at a Southwest Greensburg apartment, according to a nontraffic citation. They were dating at the time. Police said they were involved in a domestic disturbance that involved minor injuries. That’s the only publicly available police record that shows any history between the pair. They both paid $260 in fines, according to online court records. Police said West invited Pristas over Sunday. They weren’t living together, though they had in the past. The argument started over something on her phone when she asked him to leave, according to court papers. Police said West didn’t report any injuries. Pristas’ death was ruled a homicide. “I’m still in shock,” Starr said, adding that he didn’t believe Pristas would instigate a fight. “I knew that there was bad blood between them.” West did not have an attorney listed in online court records. She is being held in the Westmoreland County Prison without bail on homicide charges. A preliminary hearing is set for next week. In videos posted to his Facebook page earlier this month, Pristas said he was “looking for (expletive) love in all the wrong places.” He described himself in the video as someone who would try to peacefully resolve arguments and defuse negativity. Mason-Gelder Funeral Home in Jeannette is handling arrangements. Renatta Signorini is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Renatta at 724-837-5374, rsignorini@triblive.com or via Twitter . Categories:Local | Westmoreland